A typical thermal protection system for a high-speed vehicle includes a number of material layers. The material layers can include an insulation layer sandwiched between an outer layer and an inner layer that conforms to a surface of a substructure of the high-speed vehicle. As an example of a known thermal protection system, the insulation layer comprises a relatively rigid material, such as a relatively low density fibrous ceramic material. The outer layer comprises a substantially rigid and relatively thin member having relatively high temperature resistance and relatively high structural durability, such as a ceramic matrix composite material. The inner layer comprises a resiliently compressible material that has relatively low shear stiffness or relatively low tension stiffness. The inner layer is compressively preloaded against the vehicle substructure when the outer layer is on the vehicle substructure. It would be desirable to provide improved thermal protection systems for high-speed vehicles, such as high-speed strike weapons.